There’s nothing quite like ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls. These vegan cinnamon rolls without yeast are no exception! They’re soft and fluffy with a buttery cinnamon filling. Top them off with a tangy yet sweet dairy-free cream cheese icing, and these cinnamon buns are (*chef’s kiss*) so good!
why we love these vegan cinnamon rolls without yeast
Most of us are in agreement around the fact that traditional cinnamon rolls take far too long. I LOVE cinnamon rolls on the weekend, but I don’t love spending hours making them. Maybe I’m part of the generation that appreciates instantaneous gratification once in a while. Sometimes you just want to skip all that rising time, am I right?
These are the best 35-minute vegan cinnamon rolls that you’ll be able to eat as soon as you first have a craving for them. I love that these homemade buns are dairy-free, egg-free, annnd yeast-free plus they’re super easy and fast.
why this recipe works
A bulk of the prep time for traditional cinnamon rolls comes from needing to let the dough rise. One way to avoid all the rise time is by using a non-yeasted dough. This dough is adapted from my Yeast-Free Vegan Monkey Bread Recipe and is the perfect combo of flakey and fluffy. It uses baking powder and cold vegan butter instead of yeast to achieve soft buttery layers without all the extra time.
the ingredients
Okay, what actually goes into cinnamon rolls that don’t have any yeast, butter, eggs, or milk? Below are the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make these easy cinnamon rolls (hopefully you already have most of them on hand!).
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Brown Sugar
- Vegan Butter, I used Country Crock Plant Butter
- Dairy Free Milk, I used oat milk
- Vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
dairy free cream cheese icing ingredients
- Vegan Cream Cheese, I like Trader Joe’s the best
- Powdered Sugar
- Dairy Free Milk
- Lemon Juice
how to make the cinnamon rolls without yeast
making the dough
Alright, let’s get down to business! Time to make these homemade vegan cinnamon buns:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prep a 9×13″ baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
- Make your dairy free buttermilk by mixing together the dairy free milk and the vinegar.
- Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Cut the cold diced vegan butter into the flour mixture until combined. There should be medium to large chunks of butter visible.**
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Add in the vegan buttermilk mixture (the dairy-free milk and vinegar) and mix until just combined. The dough should be slightly crumbly but will come together when kneaded.
TIP: I cut all of my cold vegan butter into my dry ingredients with a pastry cutter. Well…confession, I actually used a fork because I don’t own a pastry cutter. If you wanted, you could also use a food processor to pulse everything together. Once combined, the dough should still have visible bits of butter in it. These chunks of butter help give the cinnamon rolls their flakey fluffy texture.
shaping the cinnamon buns
Next up is shaping the buns:
- Knead the dough into a ball. Then, flatten it into a 6-inch diameter disk.
- Roll out into a 12” by 7” long rectangle. The dough should be around 1/4” thick.
- Prepare the filling by combining the melted vegan butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Spread the filling on the dough leaving a 1/2″ border on all the edges.
- Roll the dough into a log lengthwise, and cut into 1 1/2 inch thick rolls. There should be 8 rolls.
TIP: Rolling out the dough on some parchment paper prevents it from sticking to the counter and makes for easy cleanup. I like to roll mine into a 12 by 7-inch rectangle. When spreading the filling on the dough, you’ll want to make sure it’s spread almost to the edges.
baking the vegan cinnamon rolls without yeast
Once you’ve cut your cinnamon rolls into individual buns, place them on the prepared baking dish. Make sure they’re spread out a bit (like in the photo above). They’ll puff up quite a bit when they bake! You’ll bake these yeast-free cinnamon rolls for about 25-26 minutes. They should be slightly golden on top when they’re done.
making the dairy free cream cheese icing
Just like the cinnamon buns, the cream cheese icing is also ridiculously easy to make. All you need to do is mix the vegan cream cheese (make sure it’s softened slightly), powdered sugar, dairy-free milk, and lemon juice together.
The icing should be fairly thick. When you scoop it with a spoon it should form thick ribbons as it drizzles back into the bowl (see the photo above).
After baking and cooling, I like to serve these rolls with a generous smear of vegan cream cheese icing, fresh berries, and a nice rich cup of coffee. These are honestly the best 35-minute vegan cinnamon rolls I’ve had. They’re super ooey-gooey, fluffy yet flakey, and are ready to eat in a pinch.
storing the vegan cinnamon rolls
Like most baked goods, these cinnamon rolls have the best texture on the same day they’re made. But they’re of course still tasty the next day! To store them, place them in an air-tight container. If you’ve put the icing on them, I recommend storing them in the fridge (for up to 2-3 days) and reheating them in the microwave.
cinnamon bun faq
Yes, this recipe is dairy-free. These cinnamon rolls have no milk and no butter in them. They use plant-based butter and dairy-free ‘buttermilk’ for a fluffy enriched dough.
Vegan buttermilk is very easy to make. All you need to do is mix together plant-based milk and a little bit of vinegar. Then, set the mixture aside for about 5-10 minutes to curdle slightly.
While I haven’t tried it in this particular recipe, you could try substituting coconut oil or shortening for the vegan butter. In the dough, make sure the coconut oil is solidified (and cold) and cut it into the dough like the instructions state. For the filling, the coconut oil should be melted.
I’m using baking powder in combination with homemade vegan buttermilk to create soft and fluffy vegan cinnamon rolls without yeast!
looking for more delicious vegan breakfast recipes?
- Vegan Maple Coffee Cake
- Chocolate Almond Butter Granola
- Vegan Buttermilk Belgian Waffles
- Nutella Baked Oats
- Just Egg French Toast
recipe and video:
Did you make these vegan cinnamon rolls without yeast? I’d love to know! Leave a rating and comment below!
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls (without yeast!)
These vegan cinnamon rolls without yeast are soft and fluffy with a buttery cinnamon filling. Top them off with a tangy yet sweet dairy-free cream cheese icing, and these cinnamon buns are (*chef's kiss*) so good!
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ½ cups flour (330g)
- 1 tbsp baking powder (18g)
- ½ tsp salt (1g)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (4g)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (15g)
- ¾ cup dairy-free milk (6.5 oz) cold, I like oat milk or almond
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (4g)
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (113g) very cold, diced
Filling
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, (120g) loosely packed
- 1 tbsp cinnamon (12g)
- 3 tbsp vegan butter, (45g) melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (3g)
Cream Cheese Icing
- 3 tbsp vegan cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsp dairy free milk
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
Making the Dough:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prep a 9x13" baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl or a pyrex measuring cup, mix together the dairy-free milk and the vinegar to make the vegan buttermilk. Set aside while prepping the dry ingredients (or for 5 minutes to curdle slightly).
- Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Using a pastry cutter, fork, or food processor cut the cold diced vegan butter into the flour mixture until combined. There should be medium to large chunks of butter visible.**
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Add in the vegan buttermilk mixture (the dairy-free milk and vinegar) and mix until just combined. The dough should be slightly crumbly but will come together when kneaded.
Shaping the Cinnamon Rolls:
- On a floured surface or on parchment paper, transfer the dough and knead it into a ball. Then, flatten it into a 6-inch diameter disk.
- Roll out into a 12” by 7” long rectangle. The dough should be around 1/4” thick.
- Prepare the filling by combining the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Spread the filling on the dough leaving a 1/2" border on all the edges.
- Roll the dough into a log lengthwise, and cut into 1 1/2 inch thick rolls. There should be 8 rolls.
- Place the rolls in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 25-26 minutes or until golden brown.
How to Make the Icing:
- While the rolls are baking, stir together the ingredients for the vegan cream cheese icing in a small bowl.
- The mixture should be able to drizzle smoothly off a fork or spoon. If the icing looks thick, add up to 2 more teaspoons of dairy-free milk. If the mixture looks runny, add 1-2 tablespoons of powdered sugar at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Let the buns cool slightly before drizzling cream cheese icing on top.
Notes
*I like to place my butter in the freezer for 10 minutes prior to making this, but straight out of the fridge will also work.
**If using a food processor, pulse until the dough has large uneven crumbles, and then add the non-dairy milk. Pulse until the dough starts to come together.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 410Total Fat: 18gCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 2g
Nutritional info is an estimate.
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